Craig Berube, Toronto Maple Leafs head coach

In the first practice since the winter break, head coach Craig Berube discussed the status of his injured players, expectations for the team coming out of the break, and the performance of OEL, Auston Matthews, and William Nylander at the Olympics.

How did you spend your time off?

Berube: I stayed up in Edmonton for a little bit to visit my family, and then I went to Philly to be at home with the kids. That was about it.

What was the goal of the first practice since the break?

Berube: We wanted to just get moving again, with a lot of puck touches and skating up and down the ice. That is basically what practice was. The guys worked hard, and I thought they looked pretty good, given the amount of time they had off.

What was it like to have Dakota Joshua back on the ice for practice?

Berube: It is great having him back out there. We’ll see where he gets to. He is feeling good and ready to go. We’ll see how it goes this week.

How do you hope the break might benefit Matthew Knies, who was nursing an injury for so long?

Berube: It will help with the ailing thing he has going on. He feels a lot better from the break. Hopefully, it doesn’t occur quickly again here. We will see how it goes, but it is going to benefit him and Morgan Rielly — who was out — to get some time off, among other guys. A lot of the guys are banged up at this time of year before the break. Having a break like that is a pretty good reset for them in terms of rest and injuries.

How is Morgan Rielly progressing?

Berube: Good. He is ready to go.

Chris Tanev was skating on his own. Has he made the decision to give it a go?

Berube: Yeah, he is going to skate here for the next few days on his own and see where he is at.

With the big stretch coming out of the break, what are you expecting to see from your team?

Berube: In that last road trip, I thought we came together as a team. It was pretty solid hockey all around, and our goaltending was solid. That is a big deal for me: Those two guys are a great tandem, and they seem to both be pretty dialed in right now.

We have to come out of the gate and make sure we are playing good defense, checking properly, and playing a really strong team game, as we did before the break.

Have you been keeping an eye on your players in Milan? Has anything stood out?

Berube: I have been watching quite a bit. It is good hockey, I’ll tell you that.

From watching our guys personally, Auston had a big game last game, but he has been playing well, getting opportunities, and doing his thing. Willy, too. Watching Sweden, Willy is really doing a good job of distributing the puck, making plays, and doing what he does. He’s very noticeable. I know OEL never got a shift in his first game, but in the second game, watching him play, he was physical and doing his thing as he normally does.

They look good, and the hockey is good to watch.

Is there any other sport you find interesting to watch?

Berube: Football! Haha… Well, at the Olympics, I have been watching a bit of everything. I don’t sit there and stare at it all day, but I enjoy the skiing. It is a good sport to watch. I have always been interested in bobsledding because I have worked with those guys and trained with those guys before. I personally know some of them; not the athletes now, but the guys before.

It is all fun to watch. It is great competition. It is emotional for a lot of these people because it is a once-in-a-lifetime deal for them, and they get one shot. There is a lot of emotion involved in it.

Practice Lines – Feb. 17

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